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Shells of its former self

Adriano Anfuso/Vikas Chander

The elliptical galaxy NGC 474 (lower right) contains multiple shell-like structures and tidal tails as a result of past interactions with other galaxies. The galaxy is currently interacting with a neighboring spiral galaxy, NGC 470 (just to its left). The lenticular galaxy NGC 467 (at left) is a background galaxy, more than twice as distant. The imagers used a 24-inch scope to capture 20 hours of data.